The use of air drag reducing device on large vehicles is well known throughout the trucking and transportation industries. These devices are known to be both flexible and rigid and are mountable on the frontward, sideward, or rearward surfaces of a vehicle, or combinations thereof. These devices are designed to reduce the air drag experienced by large vehicles by streamlining the air flow around the vehicle. The desire to reduce drag, specifically that drag associated with the rearward surface of the vehicle, is the focus of this invention. Limitations of the prior art encompass difficulties in terms of accessibility of rearward surface doors. It is a key feature of the present invention to facilitate accessibility to the rearward surface of a vehicle such that access to a rearward door will not be hindered.
An air drag reducing apparatus in keeping with the present invention avoids the previously described limitations of the prior art. An air drag reducing apparatus such as this comprises first and second pairs of identical panels, and hinge means. Each respective panel has at least three sides having a base edge, and first and second side edges extending from the respective base edge. The second side edge of each of the first pair of identical panels is hingedly connected to the first side edge of a respective one of the second pair of identical panels. These hingedly connected panels form two fold-away portions of the air drag reducing apparatus. When deployed, the abutting edges of the two fold-away portions of the air drag reducing apparatus are secured to one another by any appropriate means as is apparent to one skilled in the art. When not in use these panels can be folded against the side of a vehicle. When mounted on the rearward surface of the vehicle on which they are mounted, these panels form a horizontally directed pyramid and allow for smooth laminar air flow around the vehicle, thereby reducing drag. Vehicles that are particularly suited for the application of an air drag reducing apparatus in keeping with the present invention includes buses, motorized recreational vehicles, transport trucks, recreational trailers, cargo trailers, and cube vans.